1. Field
The present invention relates generally to graphical user interfaces for systems and, more specifically, to a method for providing input data to a computer system.
2. Description
Many techniques and devices for communicating input data from a user to a computer system have been developed. Keyboards, cursor movement devices (such as a mouse, trackball, and joystick, for example), pens and tablets, bar code scanners, and other devices have all been used to direct a computer to perform selected tasks. With the growing use of video cameras coupled to computer systems such as personal computers (PCs), for example, opportunities for using real-time video data in new and interesting ways have arisen. However, many recent applications for video data in PCs have been focused on various display features, without regard for the possibilities of new input paradigms. What may be valuable are input techniques that take advantage of the capabilities of video cameras to enrich the PC user""s experience and make PCs easier to use.
An embodiment of the present invention is a method of providing input signals to a system having a display, the system being coupled to a source of video data signals, the video data signals representing a scene. The method includes analyzing the video data signals to detect an object in the scene over or at least partially coinciding with a location of at least one transparent user interface element, inserting at least one transparent user interface element into the video data signals, rendering the scene on the display such that the scene is transparently visible on the display, and generating an input signal for the system in response to detecting the object over or at least partially coinciding with the at least one transparent user interface element.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a software filter to analyze live video data signals to detect an object in the scene over or at least partially coinciding with the at least one transparent user interface element, to insert at least one transparent user interface element into the live video data signals, the live video data signals representing a scene, and to generate an input signal for the system in response to detecting the object over or at least partially coinciding with the at least one transparent user interface element.